"So, it's your father who called the police over? I see."
Xiao Luo pretended to play along, and a playful smile appeared on his face.
"That's right. My dad is always very strict with me. Now that those two bodyguards told him that I was at the dance club, he must be furious. It seems that he is determined to arrest me and lock me up this time. That's why he called so many policemen over. Well, that's my dear old dad!" Fendi complained. Seeing more than a dozen police cars rushing screeching around, she didn't think she could escape the blockade. She gave up on the idea of making a getaway.
"Then, let me take over. I promise that you won't get caught."
Xiao Luo pushed open the door and got out of the car, heading straight for the driver's seat.
Fendi looked dubious. "You think you'll be able to break through the police blockade?"
As she spoke, she moved from the driver's seat. She did not get out of the car but instead shifted from the driver's seat to the passenger's side.
Boom!
The car door slammed. Xiao Luo got into the driver's seat and said, "Fasten your seatbelt!"
"Drive more carefully. Don't break my sweet car!" Fendi pleaded. It was her favorite car, and she cherished it as a rare treasure. If anything were to happen to it, she would be heartbroken.
Without a further word, Xiao Luo stepped on the accelerator.
VROOM! VROOM!
The engine of the silver Bugatti Veyron roared like a beast, rushing out like a wild horse in a chase, and leaving a trail of burned rubber marks on the ground. It surged to a hundred kilometers per hour almost instantly, and it frightened Fendi. She had barely fastened her seat belt before she screamed her lungs out.
When the police officers in the police car saw the silver Bugatti speeding toward them like lightning, their faces turned pale in an instant.
"This lunatic! What the hell is he trying to do!"
He was driving right at them at a tremendously high speed and showed no intention of slowing down. The police officers in the car turned pale and panicked–was that driver searching for the fastest way to hell? The driver of the police car had already stepped on the brakes, but the silver Bugatti Veyron was still speeding toward them at a speed of at least 120 kilometers per hour.
100 meters... 80 meters... 50 meters...
"No! Stop... Stop it now!"
Not only were the police officers in fright, even Fendi, sitting in the passenger seat, was scared out of her wits.
At the very last moment, Xiao Luo hit the brakes and turned the steering wheel sharply. At first, it appeared like he was trying to drift, but instead, making a sudden sharp turn in the opposite direction, causing both the two front wheels to turn left at a speed of 120 kilometers per hour. It was no surprise that the Bugatti went out of control, and its entire body lifted off the ground, rolling over and clearing the police cars.
"Ahh!"
The hysterical screams were not only from Fendi but also from passers-by who were watching the scene.
After rolling twice in the air, the four wheels of the Bugatti Veyron landed firmly on the ground. Under Xiao Luo's control, the rear end of the Bugatti Veyron skidded left and right from the impact. As the wheels spun to gain traction against the road surface, Xiao Luo suddenly accelerated again. The Bugatti Veyron shot forward like an arrow leaving the bowstring, scorching the road and leaving in a trail of smoke. Accompanied by the sound of screeching tires, it disappeared without a trace in the blink of an eye.
Inside the police car, the officers were still deep in shock. They sat frozen inside the stalled car, breaking out in a cold sweat. They stared in the direction of the Bugatti Veyron, and couldn't stop trembling. Who would have believed that a car that was speeding right at them could suddenly leap over their heads?
What just happened?
These police officers looked at each other, unable to believe what they had just experienced.
Turn around and follow him now. Report to headquarters that the fugitive, Xiao Han, has escaped from the encirclement in a Silver Bugatti Veyron, and he is also holding a girl hostage. We urgently request for air support."
As the team leader regained his senses, he ordered his subordinates to report the situation, then he turned his car around and went after Xiao Luo. With sirens blaring and lights flashing, the police car sped off in pursuit.
...
...
"Oh, my God, you're the Lord of the car!"
Inside the Bugatti Veyron, Fendi was howling like a maniac in the passenger seat. "Mie, you're amazing. I can't believe we managed to escape an encirclement of more than a dozen police cars. My dad would be really pissed off when he hears the news. Haha..." she looked at Xiao Luo with admiration, and asked, "Are you a professional racer?"
"Why don't you make a guess?" Xiao Luo smiled.
"I'm sure you are!" Fendi said, "It would be hard to explain your driving skills if you weren't a professional racer. But I don't think I've ever seen you before when I was racing in Qiuming Mountain."
Xiao Luo replied, "No, I don't race at Qiuming Mountain."
"Then you must be a genius racer hiding in the city. Hehe... I've picked up a treasure."
Fendi was very excited. She initially sneaked out just for a one-night stand, and although she might never be allowed to do it anymore, she wasn't complaining—she'd found herself a treasure instead. If she were to race at Qiuming Mountain again, she would be able to shock those despicable guys.
Xiao Luo smiled and said nothing more.
Suddenly, they heard the sound of blades slicing through the air. It came from above and before they knew it, several high-powered searchlights shone at them.
"Oh, dear! My dad even called for helicopters. Isn't he overdoing it this time?" she sighed.
Even now, Fendi was still unaware that the police weren't here for her at all, then her eyes suddenly glinted and she said, "This is even more fun! It's just like the game Grand Theft Auto and the grade of difficulty has reached level five. Mie, go ahead, lose them!"
She didn't need to tell him, for Xiao Luo had already resolved to get them off his tail.
He turned off the car lights and floored the accelerator. The indicator on the speedometer, already showing 120 miles per hour, shot up alarmingly. The car shook and felt as though it was about to fly.
The Bugatti Veyron swerved into a busy street, but Xiao Luo appeared calm as he controlled the car with precision, navigating through the heavy traffic and cutting in and out of fast-moving cars at lightning speed. Compared with the Bugatti Veyron, the vehicles it zoomed past appeared as slow as snails. Xiao Luo drifted and weaved through the traffic like a madman, almost scraping against the cars. It made Fendi scream in abject fear, and her heart leaped into her throat.
There was a dangerous moment when two cars ahead of the Bugatti were about a meter apart. Somehow, Xiao Luo managed to tilt his car, balancing it on the left wheels and keeping the right wheels off the ground. In that way, he squeezed through the narrow gap between the two cars, and the drivers on both sides were so shocked that they almost crashed!
"Wow! This is like a scene from the movie Speed and Passion!"
Xiao Luo's driving skills shocked the officers aboard the helicopter, and they could not believe what they had just witnessed. The next moment, even in their helicopter, they lost track of the car.
"Eagle reporting to HQ. We lost sight of the target. That guy is a lunatic—he's driving way above 150 within the city! There are too many buildings, and it's hard to keep a tail on him. We really can't keep up with his speed." The officer on board the helicopter urgently reported the situation.
*****
The "headquarters" mentioned here by the police officer was, of course, referring to the Metropolitan Police Department. A joint task force had been formed with the SDF and was headed by the senior director of the Metropolitan Police Department. It was overseen by the governor of Dongjing, Koizumi Junichiro, and the Minister of Defense, Oshima Jun. And there were other key persons involved in the task force, such as Miyazaki Ronjin and Asou Shuyao.
Everyone in HQ frowned when they heard the dismal report. Things were not looking so good.
"What a jerk, I will skin him alive!"
Asou Shuyao said it out of spite as she clenched her teeth. Xiao Luo had crushed the reproductive organ of the head of their clan and crippled every elite member of the Asou family. It had now become a blood feud, and she was in a frenzy, desperate to kill him immediately if she could get her hands on him. Asou Shuyao did not recognize him in the lift, even when he was standing right behind her, and it infuriated her. It drove her mad whenever she thought of it.
"I'm afraid that you do not have the ability to do so."
Miyazaki Ronjin remarked as he sat next to her, smoking. Asou Shuyao turned an angry pair of eyes on him, but he ignored her glare. Looking at the map of Dongjing with a frown on his face, Miyazaki Ronjin remarked, "Xiao Han is undoubtedly a super-soldier who had undergone a structured training program in Hua nation. He easily took on hundreds of ordinary police, even unarmed, and could even drive his hand through the armored chest of a genetically modified bio-warrior. He is a super-soldier who possesses the perfect combination of power, speed, and skill. None of our soldiers can match him!"
His words terrified everyone, as Xiao Han was undoubtedly the most dangerous criminal that Dongjing had ever encountered in history.
"You fool, stop praising him and lowering our team's mettle. I don't care if he's some super-monster or what method the Metropolitan Police Department will employ. I want him arrested in the shortest time possible. He is not only challenging you but the authority of the entire government of Dongjing."
Koizumi Junichiro yelled angrily. He was a middle-aged man who sported a beard and walked with the aid of a walking stick. Agitated, he banged the tip of his walking stick onto the floor, which echoed across the room.
"Yes, Sir!"
The senior director of the Metropolitan Police Department and the rest of the senior officers bowed to the governor of the Dongjing. He was the man ultimately responsible for the Metropolitan Police Department.
"Tomorrow is the twentieth, and I will visit the shrine. After that, I will meet with Mr. Takahara and Oshima Jun-sama," Koizumi Junichiro said, turning around to look at the man.
That doesn't sound good.
Oshima Jun frowned and said, "That Xiao Han is looking for an opportunity to assassinate you. Why are you providing him with a perfect opportunity to do so by visiting the shrine? For the sake of your safety, I suggest that you cancel the visit tomorrow."
His words angered Koizumi Junichiro. "My father took part in the holy war and perished in the emperor's service! Till today, we have been unable to retrieve his body, and this is the only way to commemorate his contribution through a spirit tablet. It is my duty to pay my respects to him every year on the twentieth of July, and to the heroic spirits who devoted themselves to the cause. It has been a tradition for fifteen years, so how can I break it this year?"
"We have extraordinary circumstances this time, and I didn't say that you should not go at all. Perhaps you can consider visiting at a later date." Oshima Jun replied.
Koizumi Junichiro squinted his eyes as he considered the suggestion. "At a later date?" he said.
Oshima Jun nodded and said, "That's right, you can visit the shrine after we have arrested Xiao Han."
"You know nothing!"
Koizumi Junichiro glared at him and snapped, "My father and the soldiers who had lost their lives in the war expect my visit on this particular day. It will be most disappointing if I am absent."
"But..."
"Enough of this matter, Oshima-sama. I have made up my mind. Besides, I am the governor of Dongjing, and I will not be intimidated by one person from Hua nation." Koizumi Junichiro interrupted him.
"Alright, I will delegate three hundred men to follow you in secret. If Xiao Han dares to attack, I will make sure that he will find it difficult to make it out alive." Oshima Jun did not intend to pursue the matter.
The senior director pitched in and said, "The Metropolitan Police Department will also delegate two hundred men to safeguard the governor's safety."
"I thank you all for your support!"
Koizumi Junichiro bowed deeply, and then, to everyone's surprise, he smashed his walking stick onto the ground and said, "I am certainly giving him a chance to do so. It's all part of a well-laid trap, and it's up to him to decide if he will take the bait tomorrow."
As everyone bowed in respect, they realized the governor's additional intention and acknowledged it as not only a smart move but a brave one.
Suddenly, a police officer barged in and reported to the senior director, "I have bad news. We have confirmed the identity of that girl who was abducted by Xiao Han. She is the daughter of the richest man in Ri nation, Takahara Keika."
What?
It came across like a bomb detonating in the middle of the meeting hall and shocked everyone.
******
******
In a quiet street somewhere in Dongjing, a silver-white Bugatti moving toward the Tower Park, stopped by a stone bench.
Although it was fun to enjoy racing with the police beside the driver, Fendi, or rather Takahara Keika, was feeling a little car-sick. She stumbled out of the car and immediately threw up. When she returned, her complexion was as white as a sheet.
"Are you okay?"
Xiao Luo smiled at her and asked.
"I'm fine, puking help," she cracked as she looked at him and attempted a smile.
Xiao Luo looked around and discovered a small mobile stall nearby selling snacks and drinks. He walked over to buy two bottles of water and a pack of tissue and handed them to Takahara Keika.
"Thank you, Mie."
Takahara Keika received the items and added, "It seems you are a considerate man after all."
She was feeling even better about Xiao Luo now.
Xiao Luo did not respond to her but looked up the steel tower marked with blinking red lights, "The game's over. I should go now, and you should go home."
As he finished, he threw the car key to her and walked away.
Takahara Keika reached out to grab his sleeve and stared at him with her bright and clear eyes. "Can we... Can we see each other again?" she purred.
In the short time that they spent together, Xiao Luo had become her prince charming, and she was bowled over completely.
"Yes, if we are destined to, but we better don't."
"Why?"
Takahara Keika relented as she wanted to see this man again.
"You'll know soon enough," Xiao Luo said, and he gently pulled away from her hold, and then walked off with his hands in the pockets.
"My actual name is Takahara Keika. What's yours?" Takahara Keika chased after him and asked. She was reluctant to bid farewell.
Takahara Keika?
Xiao Luo frowned as he had committed the assassination list to memory and knew that there was a person named Takahara Kei on it. Thinking about the things the girl had said earlier, and the limited edition Bugatti, it was not difficult to connect the relationship between that girl and Takahara Kei.
Could it be so coincidental?
He felt awkward, as he only intended to have some fun and ease his stress. Somehow, fate had played its hand–and he unwittingly bumped into Takahara Kei's daughter.
But he did not respond to her and left without looking back. Takahara Keika was left behind looking rather melancholic, but inwardly she cherished the thought of a sweet relationship with her prince charming.